


Charity Case

by Diary



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Abused Isaac Lahey, Adoption, Awkwardness, Bechdel Test Fail, Canon Character of Color, Canon Gay Character, Canon Queer Character of Color, Danny Mahealani & Jackson Whittemore Friendship, Family Issues, Jackson Whittemore's Issues with Being Adopted, Late Night Conversations, Love, Minor Lydia Martin/Jackson Whittemore, POV Jackson Whittemore, POV Male Character, POV Queer Character, Pre-Teen Wolf (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-07
Updated: 2017-09-07
Packaged: 2018-12-25 00:42:46
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 936
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12024489
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Diary/pseuds/Diary
Summary: Pre-series. A look at Jackson grudgingly looking out for Isaac in his own Jackson-like way. Complete.





	Charity Case

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Teen Wolf.

Jackson would really prefer not having to pay such close attention to the Laheys, but he can only imagine how unbearable his parents would be if a fifteen or sixteen-year-old kid died in their neighbourhood.

“Look, don’t ask questions,” he tells Danny. “Just go along with this.”

“With what?”

Striding over to the Lahey house, Jackson catches Isaac by Isaac’s belt. “You’re having dinner at my house, tonight. Come on.”

“Wha- Jackson? Uh, hi, Danny. I’m not sure-”

Continuing to drag him, Jackson says, “Your dad was yelling at his car earlier. We’re having baked chicken with boiled potatoes and green beans. There’s one soda left, and it’s mine. If you want to fight Danny for the chocolate milk, that’s between you and him.”

Giving him a look, Danny thankfully doesn’t insist on asking. “There’s more than one chocolate milk.”

“Water’s good,” is Isaac’s faint, bemused response.

They get inside, and once the door’s closed, Jackson lets go and calls, “Mom, Dad, is it okay if Isaac has dinner with us?”

Inching towards the door, Isaac demands, “You didn’t even ask?”

Jackson pulls him back, and Danny answers, “He doesn’t need to. They’re always happy when he brings someone besides me or Lydia over.”

…

His parents are always worrying about Isaac, and he knows they want him to try to be actual friends with him. Therefore, before either he or Isaac can stop them, his dad has called Coach Lahey and convinced him to agree to Isaac spending the night.  

“Want me to stay, too,” Danny quietly asks.

“Want to be murdered in your sleep,” he retorts.

Danny laughs. “Just don’t murder him in his.”

…

He goes with Isaac to get Isaac’s pyjamas, toiletries, and clothes to change into in the morning, and when they get back, they set up his airbed.

Tossing Isaac his remote, he says, “If you want to watch something, go ahead. I can sleep through anything.”

He doesn’t know if Isaac can sleep in the dark or not. He does know he’s not going to try to find any of his old nightlights, partly because, this would be too much work, partly because, it might embarrass Isaac if his parents knew Isaac needed one, and partly because, aside from Danny, no one knows he ever slept with a nightlight.

Shaking his head, Isaac tosses the remote back.

Once the lights are out, he hears a quiet, “Thanks. Jackson.”

“You really should tell,” he says. “He’s never going to stop.”

…

In the morning, he realises Isaac grabbed a t-shirt last night and no jacket or sweater.

It’ll be fine in the afternoon, but it’s chilly out right now.

“Wait,” he orders.

Isaac pauses at his door.

Grabbing his lacrosse jacket, he comes over and puts it on Isaac. “If you get this dirty, you’ll tell coach that you did, and you’ll deal with his craziness. Give it back after lunch.”

He’s not sure what exactly to make of the look in Isaac’s eyes, but he’s a little afraid his parents might be dealing with a panic attack, soon.

Maybe, that wouldn’t be so bad, he thinks. There’d be hell for him not saying something, but if they found out what Isaac’s dad has been doing…

“This, uh, this is your lacrosse jacket. Only- only Lydia ever gets to wear it. You wouldn’t even let Danny.”

He rolls his eyes. “Danny only wanted it to avoid this boy he hooked up with knowing his lacrosse number. And yeah, since I have a girlfriend, a hot, popular one, no one is going to think I lowered my standards to someone like you. You’re obviously just a charity case. Now, come on. I’m not taking the bus or having my parents drop us off.”

“Doesn’t Lydia’s mom usually pick you up?”

“Not today.”

Lydia had sent a snappish text in reply to his, but he’ll compliment how pretty her eyes look with her newest shade of eye makeup or how beautiful she looks in her outfit, and it’ll be fine. If he lets Isaac go to school alone, there’s a chance Coach Lahey will catch up to his son, and it’s probably best to wait a full twenty-four hours before the two see each other again.

“I need to get a car,” he sighs.

His parents have protested him finding a part-time job, but at this rate, both Lydia and Danny will have cars before he does. He can handle school, lacrosse, and a job, despite what they think.

…

As they’re walking, Isaac glances over.

“What?”

“You- you never say, ‘I love you,’ back,” is the almost inaudible observation. “To your parents.”

Shrugging, he wonders why so many people notice and care. He’s a good son. He works hard for straight As, it wasn’t too long ago he made lacrosse captain, and he almost never back-talks or argues with them. Sure, he does some things like playing Danny’s wingman at adult clubs they’ve snuck into, and he has drank on occasion, but generally, he makes sure any teenage rebellion isn’t caught, and therefore, not something they have to deal with.

“I won’t bring it up again.”

“That’d be a good idea on your part.”

When they get near the school, Isaac runs his hand over the jacket sleeve. “Are you sure you don’t want this back, now?”

“No. Just remember: You get it dirty, you deal with Coach’s crazy.” Then, he clarifies, “Our coach, not your dad.”

Nodding, Isaac smiles slightly, and shifting, he looks shyer than normal. “Thank you, Jackson. Really.”

Spotting Lydia, he says, “See you, later, Lahey,” and goes over to her.


End file.
